Discerning Patterns of Floral Sugar-Feeding: Dynamics of the Mosquito Culex antillummagnorum in Puerto Rico

<p>Mosquitoes rely on sugar feeding for survival, primarily from flowering plants, yet mosquito–plant interactions remain understudied. I examined plant-feeding associations of the mosquito <em>Culex antillummagnorum</em> in the Luquillo Experimental Forest of Puerto Rico, which may clarify patterns of habitat use, disease dynamics, and broader species interactions. First, plant DNA was extracted from field-collected <em>Cx. antillummagnorum</em> to identify potential nectar sources. DNA barcoding produced positive matches to the flowering plant genera <em>Billia</em>, <em>Aesculus</em>, <em>Cladium</em>, <em>Fimbristylis</em>, <em>Xyris</em>, <em>Cakile</em>, and <em>Habenaria</em>. <em>Habenaria</em> was the most compelling result because it belongs to the same subtribe of orchids as <em>Platanthera</em> and <em>Pterostylus</em>, genera fed upon and pollinated by mosquitoes. Among <em>Habenaria</em> species in Puerto Rico <em>H. amalfitana</em> emerged as the strongest candidate due to its relatively short nectar spur, which may facilitate mosquito access to nectar. Second, survival assays tested how well wild caught <em>Cx. antillummagnorum</em> survived when provided seven flowering plant species from Puerto Rico, including three orchids. All plants resulted in significantly lower survival than sugar water (positive control); while four produced lower survival than water only (negative control). Survival rates were lower than comparable studies potentially indicating plants are not primary nectar sources in the wild, suboptimal environmental conditions, or delayed mortality from aspiration. Although <em>H. amalfitana</em> was not tested in the survival trials, as only one individual was found due to its small cryptic nature, further investigation of its interaction with <em>Cx. antillummagnorum</em> could reveal a previously unrecognized orchid specialist thus further elucidating the ecological roles played by this mosquito.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2026

Author dc:creator

• Branham, Ella J

Contributors dc:contributor

• Donald A. Yee
• Mac H. Alford
• Daniel A. H. Peach

• Mosquito
• Orchid
• Habenaria
• Cakile
• Flower
• Nectar
• Botany
• Entomology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1201

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:aquila.usm.edu:masters_theses-2295